In most of the countries you will find diplomatic missions, which usually refers to an embassy and/or a consulate. Diplomatic bodies represent other country’s interests in Latvia, with the aim of strengthening international relations between the states and providing services for their citizens in Latvia.

Embassies and consulates are considered legal territories of their home countries. They are not "foreign territory" but they are protected and considered the property of the country using them, meaning that Latvia does not have jurisdiction over the embassy or consulate of another country.

What is the difference between Embassy and Consulate?

The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations international treaty defines the diplomatic mission’s purpose and framework. The various diplomatic missions offer several services and carry out different missions. For example:

• Embassy: This is the primary diplomatic representation of a country’s government and is headed by an ambassador. An embassy is the main location for a diplomatic presence of one country in another. A country has at most one embassy in another country and is always established in the capital city of the host country. In the absence of a consulate in a country, the embassy also has a consular section to carry out all the relevant consular services (see below).
• Consulate General: This is a diplomatic mission, headed by a consul that provides a full range of services such as: issuing passports/visas, keeping birth and marriage records, assisting expats, providing legal information, translations etc. It can be located in any major city of the host country, although often in the capital city (in certain cases, in the same building as the embassy). In major countries and large territories, you often have more than one consulate.
• Honorary Consulate: It supplements the Consulate to provide a limited range of consular services and is headed by an honorary consul. They help nationals abroad. For example, in the event of a hospital stay, missing person, death, natural disaster or another emergency. They can also issue emergency travel documents and consular declarations for which the applicant is required to appear in person.

NB: You will usually apply for a visa at the Consulate of the country you want to visit. However, if there is no such representation in Latvia, you can apply for a visa at the embassy.

Where to find Consulates and Embassies in Latvia

Not all countries have an Embassy and/or a Consulate as it depends on the political situation, the relationship with the host country, the size of the country, and the number of foreign citizens living there.

In some cases, countries can share representations and you can be assisted by the services of another embassy or consular service to get the information you need.

We recommend you register/contact your country’s embassy at your destination. It is a free service provided by any diplomatic mission and it will allow them to record information about your upcoming trip abroad. It can be used to assist you in case of an emergency.

Registration will also allow you to get routine information from your nearest embassy or consulate, as citizens residing abroad.

The capital of Latvia, Riga hosts 38 embassies.

There are also 26 consulates and two other representation located in Latvia.

All consulates and honorary consulates are located in Riga, except for those countries who own an embassy in the capital of Latvia and might have another diplomatic mission outside the capital.

You will find below a list of selected countries (the list is not exhaustive) that have a diplomatic mission in Latvia. The list includes embassies, consulates, honorary consulates, and sometimes other official representations for you to be able to get information and services.

 Embassies and Main Consulates in Riga

China

Chinese Embassy in Latvia

Address: Ganību dambis 5, LV 1045 Riga
Tel: (+371) 6735 7025 / 6732 3263
E-Mail: chinaemb_lv@mfa.gov.cn and riga@csm.mfa.gov.cn for the Consular Service
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/EmbassyofChinainLatvia/
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 17:00

The consular section provides a range of consular services such as document authentication and legalisation processing, as well as notary certification and marriage registration, visa affairs, and consular protection to all Chinese living abroad.

France

French Embassy in Latvia

Address: Raina bulvaris 9, LV-1050 Riga
Tel: (+371) 6703 6600
E-Mail: webmestre.ambafrance-lv@diplomatie.gouv.fr
Social Media: https://twitter.com/FrancijaLatvija and https://www.facebook.com/france.lettonie/ and https://www.instagram.com/frenlettonie/
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m

The French Embassy in Latvia provides Consular Services such as record declarations (birth, recognition, death), requests for passports or identity cards, publications of banns (marriage) as well as for the transcription of acts of civil status issued by authorities in Latvia.

Germany

German Embassy in Latvia

Address: Raina Bulv. 13, LV-1050 Riga
Tel: (+371) 6708 5100
E-Mail:  info@riga.diplo.de
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/vacija_latvija/ and https://www.facebook.com/DeutscheBotschaftRiga
Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m and Wednesday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m

The consular section of the Embassy provides assistance and support, both legal and practical to all German citizens residing or passing through Latvia with procedures such as: Passports, German ID cards, Visas, signature authentications, certifications and consular documents (eg life certificate, birth registries, certifications, etc.), document translation and apostille services, among others.

Japan

Embassy of Japan in Latvia

Address: Vesetas iela 7, Riga LV-1013
Tel: (+371) 6781 2001
E-Mail:  Consulate.Japan@mfa.gov.lv
Social Media: https://twitter.com/JapanEmb_Latvia and https://www.youtube.com/@embassyofjapaninlatvia6969
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m
Consular Section visiting hours (only by prior appointment): Tuesdays 11:00 – 12:30 and 13:30 – 16:30

The Japanese embassy provides a range of consular services such as visa and passport processing as well as document legalisation (birth certificate, marriage and death certificate, etc…) and police clearance certificate.

Russia

Embassy of Russia in Latvia

Address: Antonijas 2, Riga LV-1010
Tel: (+371) 6733 2151
E-Mail:  rusembas@mid.ru and ruscons-riga@mid.ru for the consulate office
Social Media: https://twitter.com/lv_rusembas and https://www.facebook.com/RUSEMBAS and https://www.youtube.com/user/RusembLat and https://www.instagram.com/rusemb.latvia/
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m

For services such as issues of citizenship of the Russian Federation, visa and passport processing as well as document legalization, registration of powers of attorney, pension issues, payments and inheritances, etc. it is requested to visit the Consular Section located in the same building, under appointment. 
Sweden

Embassy of Sweden in Latvia

Address: A. Pumpura iela 8, 1010 Riga
Tel: (+371) 6768 6600
E-Mail:  ambassaden.riga@gov.se
Social Media: https://twitter.com/SwedeninLV and https://www.facebook.com/SwedeninRiga and https://www.instagram.com/swedeninlatvia/
Opening hours: Monday - Tuesday & Thursday - Friday: 10.00-12.00 Wednesday: 14.00-16.00
Consular Section: (Pick-up of Swedish passports, id-cards, driver's licenses, registration of children, certificates etc) Monday - Tuesday & Thursday - Friday: 10.00-12.00 Wednesday: 14.00-16.00 or by appointment

The Embassy’s task is to represent Sweden and the Swedish Government and to promote Swedish interests in Latvia.
It works with a variety of issues such as political and economic monitoring and reporting, defence cooperation, business and cultural promotion, public diplomacy and communications as well as administrative and consular matters (e.g. consular and official matters relating to Swedish citizens, contacts with Latvian authorities).

United Kingdom (Great Britain)

Embassy of the United Kingdom in Latvia

Address: 5, J.Alunana iela, Riga LV-1010
Tel: (+371) 6777 4700
E-Mail:  BritishEmbassy.Riga@fcdo.gov.uk
Social Media: https://twitter.com/UKinLatvia and https://www.facebook.com/britishembassyriga
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m

The British Embassy in Latvia provides services to British nationals living and visiting Latvia, including commercial, consular, visa and information services. As well as notarial services, including certificates, letters, and notes available.

You can also apply for an emergency travel document if you’re abroad and your passport has been lost or stolen, damaged or expired, and you can’t get a new or replacement passport in time to travel.

USA (United States of America)

Embassy of the United States of America in Latvia

Address: 1 Samnera Velsa St., Riga LV-1510
Tel: (+371) 6710 7000
E-Mail:  embassyriga@state.gov
Social Media: https://twitter.com/usembassyriga and https://www.facebook.com/usembassyriga and https://www.instagram.com/usembassyriga/
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
The US representation in Latvia provides a range of consular services such as regular passport applications and renewals, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA), and notarial services, assistance on death of a U.S. citizen and emergency financial assistance, etc.

Honorary Consulates in Latvia

Contact directly the Embassy/Consulate website for more information.
For countries with no consulates or embassies in Latvia, the Honorary Consulates are supervised by diplomatic representations located in other countries, often Stockholm, in Sweden for Latvia.

General Consulates and embassies in Riga

• Australia (au.honconsul.riga@gmail.com)
• Belgium
• Canada (riga@international.gc.ca)
• Denmark (rixamb@um.dk)
• Estonia (embassy.riga@mfa.ee)
• Finland
• Lithuania (amb.lv@urm.lt)
• Mexico